The Technical Reference Group for network infrastructure on the Research Network, called Net TekRef, is a group where you can share experiences with other network people from the institutions, and where you can make suggestions and debate initiatives concerning the Research Network (Forskningsnettet).
The institutions operate the network equipment that is placed in their premises, even if it belongs to the community in the Research Network. DeiC has the role of operating the backbone of the Research Network, under the leadership of network operations manager Jan Ferré. The head of the Research Network, Martin Bech, is responsible for development and services.
The most important thing is the participants
The Research Network as an infrastructure is unique in Denmark and many aspects of it are not something you as such can get courses in or learn elsewhere. Net TekRef is primarily a place where you can exchange experiences with your like-minded people. It is mostly network people and others with a technical background who attend the meetings, but everyone is welcome.
The group meets about three times a year around the country. Typically, the chair announces that a meeting will be held soon and at the same time requests topics. All participants are free to suggest topics to be addressed. The chair then sets the agenda for the next meeting and issues an actual invitation.
Topics in recent years include covering the university with Wi-Fi, replacing switches with newer models, building server rooms, redundancy, eduroam in the local environment and much more.
To announce Net TekRef meetings, there is a simple mailing list. If you would like to join the list, simply fill out this form . It is free to join the group.
Influence and discussions
Net TekRef is mostly like a selftuision best practices group, but still often has a visible influence on which direction the development of the Research Network and services takes.
In parallel with Net TekRef, there is also the management-appointed Net Forum, where there are one or two representatives from each of the universities and a few from the UCs. They have a formal role in advising DeiC's board on the area of networks and services. It is a closed group, they do not have a technical focus and finally they rarely have time to unfold a given case particularly much in their meetings.
Prior to the proposals, that are discussed at the meetings in Net Forum, the discussions in Net TekRef are a good - and indispensable - place to discuss new proposals - and then everyone can join!
DeiC will typically report on developments in the network area - seen from a central level. The participants in the meeting can give their input on what DeiC should work on in the coming period.
Most of the time at the meetings, however, is usually about experiences from the others about the latest equipment and protocols. Eg. Cisco ACI, Crestron and much more good stuff.
The chair of the technical reference group is Lasse Birnbaum Jensen from SDU (email: lasse@sdu.dk).
